Apparatus for conveying and spraying light weight fibers



Feb. 11, 1964 J. L. KEMPTHORNE 3,120,980

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND SPRAYING LIGHT WEIGHT FIBERS Filed May 5. 1961 3 SheetsSheet 1 Fig M 1 5 N T 01?. JAMES LE WIS KEMP T HORNE Feb. 11, 1964 J. KEMPTHORNE 3,120,930

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND SPRAYING LIGHT WEIGHT FIBERS Filed May 5, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN FOR.

BY JAMES LEWIS KEMPTHORNE Feb. 11, 1964 J. L. KEMPTHORNE 3,120,980

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND SPRAYING LIGHT WEIGHT FIBERS Filed May 5. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

JAMES LE ms KEMP THO/M! United States Patent 3,120,980 APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING AND SPRAYIN G LIGHT WEIGHT FIBERS James Lewis Kempthorne, 7 Ramsay Road, Montclair, N J Filed May 5, 1961, Ser- No. 108,195 3 Claims. (Cl. 30250) This invention is a combination of specifically designed parts, each one working in conjunction with the others, producing an end product in a better way than was possible heretofore, while the variable speed screw feed and rapidly revolving carding brush action are somewhat the same as in my patent application filed January 19, 1961, Serial Number 83,670, the type of blower used is different, as are other features.

The way in which the light weight fiber is propelled into the suction air stream of the blower, and the double air intake is entirely new. The top air inlet furnishes a pulling action eliminating the necessity for a mechanical device to prevent bridging of the fiber. It is also advantageous to see the fiber being fed into the blower, observing the rate and evenness of flow of the materials.

The lower aperture provides an escape for heavier sand, gravel and foreign objects which accelerate the erosive action on the blower parts and which in some cases would wreck the high speed revolving fan blades. After the equipment is running for some time, there always appears a pile of the heavier ingredients which, if drawn into the blower and propelled into the flexible hose, would tend to lay in the hose reducing the air pressure, cause clogging, and interfere with production.

If these particles are drawn into the fiber stream, it makes for heavier mat, uneven in color and texture, often requiring painting to produce an acceptable appearance. So important is this feature that in our recent fire test by the Underwriters Laboratories, that when brought to their attention the procedure of testing the materials was changed.

As I pointed out to them, it isnt what goes into the hopper, but what comes out. Therefore, I am sending samples of the fiber as mixed in our plant as it goes into the hopper (see Box #1). Box #2 shows the carded fiber as it comes from the hopper, and Box #3, taken from the pile of heavier materials as shown in the drawings FIG. 1, see #11.

The introduction of steam into the fiber stream as described in my recently allowed application, Serial #813,001, filed May 13, 1959, now Patent No. 3,012,732 of December 12, 1961, when used with this equipment increases the production, provides a better mat, eliminates dust and does not interfere with other trades. In that patent, steam is introduced into the flexible blowing hose, and when the workman cuts oif the current to the hopper motor, which at the same time cuts oif the flow of steam, there is considerable material still in the hose. This fiber has not been treated to the steam bath and as a result there is a cloud of dust until the hose is completely cleared. To overcome this defect, the solenoid now has a delayed action allowing steam to con tinue according to how the adjustment is made.

To eliminate erosion of the fan blades and easing the blades may be rubber lined and changeable. The casing may also have a replaceable rubber lined strip.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of the left end of the major portion of the structure shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevation of the right end of FIG URE 2 and additionally shows a flexible hose for spray ing the material, a steam generator, a pipe for conducting steam into the hose, and a wiring diagram.

The apparatus operates as follows:

The fiber is placed in the upper receptacle 1 where it is gently agitated by the members 2 and 3 to prevent bridging and is fed by the revolving screw feed 4 under the pan 5 and over the carding brush 6 into the feed chamber 7. Air enters from the open top 8, drawing the carded fiber into the blower opening 9. The lower opening of the feed chamber 10 while admitting air to the blower, allows the heavier unwanted ingredients of the fiber mix to fall into a pile below the blower opening 11.

The replaceable rubber lined band 12 prevents erosion of the blower casing '13. The replaceable rubber lined fan blades 14 are attached to the hub of the driving motor 15 by the bolts 16. The fiber is expelled through the outlet 17. Steam is created in the generator 18, as the workman closes the switch 19, starting the motor 20, the solenoid 21 is activated, admitting steam into the pipe 22 and into the center of the flexible hose 23 where it moistens the fiber being expelled through the blower opening 17 as it is conveyed to the point of discharge. The gun head 24 has an air valve 25 and a liquid valve 25, which when open atomizes the liquid and wets the fiber in mid air by the multiple nozzles 27. The pump 23 is connected to a source of supply. When opening the valve 29, the liquid is forced by the pump 28 into the generator 18 through the pipe 30. This is done when it is observed that the level of the liquid is low by means of the glass 31, this enables the operation to be continuous. The wiring diagram in FIG. 3, is shown schematically. The electricity comes from the line 32. The hopper motor 20 is designated in the usual way. The drive from the motor 2%) through the belt 33 and the multi-step pulleys 34 and 35, permit a variable speed in the carding brush 6. On the opposite end of the carding brush shaft 36 is a multiple step pulley 37 which drives through the belt 38 to the multi-step pulley 39 and permits a variable speed of the gear reducer 40, through the chain 41 the screw feed 4, is rotated. By changing the two belts 38 and 33 from one step to another on the multi-step pulleys, the screw feed 4 is rotated from a very slow speed, from as slow as 7 r.p.m. to the practical speeds of 16, 37, and 72 rpm, these are the workable speeds, but a much higher speed can be obtained if necessary.

By removing the four bolts 42, 43, 44, and 45, the fiber receptacle 1 is removed and either replaced by a larger or smaller receptacle as needed. By leaving it oif altogether, a small, lightweight and compact hopper is then available, especially needed for a repair or patch type job.

What I claim:

1. Apparatus for conveying, processing, and spraying light weight material, comprising a hopper, a screw conveyor under the hopper to receive material therefrom, a rotatable carding brush adjacent an end of the screw conveyor and having radial bristles to receive material from the conveyor and card it, a feed chamber to receive material from the carding brush, said chamber being open to the atmosphere above the carding brush to provide a downward air current onto the material leaving the carding brush, said chamber being open at the bottom to permit relatively heavy impurities in the lighter material to fall out of the chamber, a blower having an inlet connected to the side of the feed chamber above the lower end of the latter and adapted to receive material from said chamber, a tube connected to the blower outlet and comprising a spray gun head at its free end, and means for injecting steam into said tube to Wet the material blown into the tube by the blower.

2. The apparatus specified in claim 1, in combination with an electric motor for operating the conveyor and carding brush, a steam generator having a steam outlet, a solenoid for opening and closing the steam outlet, a single source of electric power for said motor and solenoid, electric wiring, including a single switch, connecting the source of power with said motor and sole noid, said solenoid adapted to keep said steam outlet open for a predetermined period after said switch is opened, whereby to allow enough steam to wet the material remaining in said tube and thereby avoid a cloud of dust through the spray head.

3. Apparatus for conveying, processing, and spraying light weight material, comprising a hopper, a screw conveyor under the hopper to receive material therefrom, a rotatable carding brush adjacent an end of the screw conveyor and having radial bristles to receive material from the conveyor and card it, a feed chamber to receive material from the carding brush, said chamher being open to the atmosphere above the carding brush to provide a downward air current onto the mate rial leaving the carding brush, said chamber being open at the bottom to permit relatively heavy impurities in the lighter material to fall out of the chamber, a blower having an inlet connected to the side of the feed chamber above the lower end of the latter and adapted to receive material from said chamber, a tube connected to the blower outlet and comprising a spray gun at its free end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 192,285 Rohrbacher June 19, 1877 859,863 Young July 9, 1907 1,792,590 Kirk Feb. 17, 1931 1,869,655 Beebe Aug. 2, 1932 2,604,068 Dolbey July 22, 1952 2,676,059 Kempthorne Apr. 20, 1954 2,910,250 Fisher Oct. 27, 1959 

1. APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING, PROCESSING, AND SPRAYING LIGHT WEIGHT MATERIAL, COMPRISING A HOPPER, A SCREW CONVEYOR UNDER THE HOPPER TO RECEIVE MATERIAL THEREFROM, A ROTATABLE CARDING BRUSH ADJACENT AN END OF THE SCREW CONVEYOR AND HAVING RADIAL BRISTLES TO RECEIVE MATERIAL FROM THE CONVEYOR AND CARD IT, A FEED CHAMBER TO RECEIVE MATERIAL FROM THE CARDING BRUSH, SAID CHAMBER BEING OPEN TO THE ATMOSPHERE ABOVE THE CARDING BRUSH TO PROVIDE A DOWNWARD AIR CURRENT ONTO THE MATERIAL LEAVING THE CARDING BRUSH, SAID CHAMBER BEING OPEN AT THE BOTTOM TO PERMIT RELATIVELY HEAVY IMPURITIES IN THE LIGHTER MATERIAL TO FALL OUT OF THE CHAMBER, A BLOWER HAVING AN INLET CONNECTED TO THE SIDE OF THE FEED CHAMBER ABOVE THE LOWER END OF THE LATTER AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE MATERIAL FROM SAID CHAMBER, A TUBE CONNECTED TO THE BLOWER OUTLET AND COMPRISING A SPRAY GUN HEAD 